Shadows
by Karen Kisaragi
Summary: Yuffie seeks to repent for a death not on her hands and pursues the Turk, Reno to Midgar. Accompanied by Red XIII, Yuffie and Reno share experiences together. Takes place during the first game, AU, implied RenoxYuffie
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is a rewrite of an old fanfic I did back in 1999. While the plotline remains mostly the same, I felt it needed a serious overhaul. Nevermind it's necessary as a foundation for the really big project I'll be working on after this. Hope you like!

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Chapter One

The Tiny Bronco bobbed along the ocean's current idly. No longer a water-skimming aircraft, it now served as a life raft for its sodden passengers. Perched on the wing, the silent gunman, Vincent Valentine, observed the figeting girl across from him.

Yuffie Kisaragi, as she'd introduced herself briefly upon first meeting, toyed with her oversized shuriken, endlessly turning the Materia spheres in their ports as their other two teammates, Cloud Strife and Cid Highwind, debated the next move. She appeared somewhat anxious, as if pondering mutiple routes in her mind. While he didn't claim to know the girl's thoughts, he had a sinking feeling they couldn't be good. Forcefully ignoring the doubt, Vincent turned his crimson gaze from the ninja girl briefly.

"At this rate, her engine'll flood and we'll be screwed!" Cid was saying impatiently, bending over the cockpit of the tiny plane and beginning to scoop water from the seats with his cupped hands. Cloud sighed, one gloved hand coming up to rub the back of his neck thoughtfully.

"I'm not even sure where we are," he confessed, looking out onto the blue expanse of water hopelessly. "We seemed to be doing well, but I guess we hit something?"

Cid snorted, still shoveling water from the cockpit. "I don't know about hittin' anythin', but we sure stopped sooner than we should've." He glanced over at Vincent, who continued to watch his companions. "Why don't you say somethin', spook? No brillant ideas in that dusty head of yours?"

"This is not my ship, Mr. Highwind," Vincent replied calmly, ignoring the nickname. "And if you recall, I have been asleep for over thirty years. My knowledge of our whereabouts is muddled as well."

"Head west." All heads turned when Yuffie spoke. She didn't return their gazes, her hands continuing to worry over her Materia.

"Familiar with this place, huh, missy?" Cid asked gruffly. Yuffie's lips pursed slightly, as if debating a retort. When none came, Cid grunted again and flicked his gaze back to Cloud. "Well?"

Cloud shrugged expressively. "I sure don't have any better ideas." He cocked his head towards Yuffie. "West, huh?"

"Yeah," Yuffie replied, casting him an exaggerated, expectant gaze. Cloud ignored the incredulous look in her violet eyes and nodded at Cid.

"May as well start rowing, then. You have anything on here that would make a good oar?"

*********

Upon reaching the shore, Cid tethered the Tiny Bronco to a tree stump, then joined the other three further up the beach. Yuffie took the lead, her step almost too perky as she trotted over the dunes. Cloud followed her, his own pace somewhat careless. Vincent hung back, ignoring Cid's grumbled curse for him to move faster as he pushed past him. Wherever Yuffie was taking them, it seemed to be a good distance away.

"What did you say was here, Miss Kisaragi?" Vincent inquired, quickening his pace to match Yuffie's. Yuffie's cheeks brightened slightly and she averted her eyes.

"I, uh..." she stammered, her footfalls slowing. Realization struck her and she glared at the older man. Having caught his attempt to trap her, the ninja girl wrinkled her nose at him in distaste and hurried away from him. Vincent smirked slightly behind his high collar. Walking past him, Cid thumped a hand on his cloaked shoulder wordlessly. Cloud shrugged noncommitally at the gunman as he brushed by. Clearly, the two men had chosen to put some faith in the girl.

Narrowing his eyes somewhat, Vincent reluctantly followed after.

********

"Welcome to Wutai!" Yuffie exclaimed, spinning to face her companions with her arms widespread. All around them, a bustling resort town bubbled with life as tourists and natives alike trolled the wide streets between towering red-roofed buildings. Yuffie beckoned for them all to follow her deeper into the hub of activity. Cloud took the lead with Cid and Vincent trailing behind at their own pace. Cid observed the buildings, whistling low at the elegant architecture and blossoming cherry trees. Vincent remained silent, his eyes firmly on the girl ahead of them.

Suddenly, Yuffie came to a stop, forcing Cloud to collide with her. Cloud gasped in alarm and reached out to steady the stumbling girl with one hand. Cid in turn bumped into Cloud, then tripped further forward, brushing against the still-unsteady ninja girl. Vincent, having remained vigilant, stopped a good distance from the tangle of bodies teetering close to collapse.

"Sorry about that," Cloud apologized, unwinding himself and holding out a hand to Yuffie. Cid toppled with a curse as Yuffie accepted the offered hand and allowed herself to be righted. She dusted herself off briskly, then beamed a bright smile at Cloud.

"Oh, it's okay! Happens all the time!" she grinned, skipping backwards away from him. "Shall we continue?" Beside Cloud's feet, Cid pushed himself up and patted down his clothes. He paused, an expression of confusion passing over his scowling features.

"Hey!" he exclaimed suddenly. "My Materia's gone!" Alarmed, Cloud checked his own pockets.

"Mine, too!" he cried. Both men looked at Yuffie. The ninja girl's grin widened.

"Uhhh...gotta go!" With that, she dashed into the thick of the crowd, a cloud of dust kicking up behind her. Cid gaped as Cloud took off after her. Vincent approached the stunned pilot silently.

"There's no possible way you could tell me you didn't see that coming," the gunman remarked. Cid glowered at the other.

"Oh yeah?! Check yer own pockets then, spook! I betcha she got you, too!" he challenged, stabbing the air in front of Vincent with a finger. Vincent complied, his hands disappearing within the folds of his cloak confidently. When his expression fell, Cid laughed. "Not feelin' so smart now, I bet!" he teased with a grin. Vincent remained silent as he walked around and past the chuckling pilot. Getting one last snicker out, Cid hurried after.

*******

Reno squinted down at his half-empty shot glass dismally. "Need more," he slurred, clumsily turning in his chair and signaling for a waitress. Seated at the table with him were his two fellow Turks, Rude and Elena. Rude had his gun drawn, polishing it calmly while Elena absently stirred her drink with a straw. The waitress came over, listened to Reno's garbled request for more shots, then left with the empty glasses. Reno sniffed expressively, his gaze distant as he stared at the liquid-splattered table. He brushed the sleeve of his suit jacket under his nose roughly, drawing a disgusted noise from Elena.

"Must you do that? At least use a napkin!" she chided, thrusting one at him. He ignored it as it fluttered past him and off the table. Rude glanced over his sunglasses at his inebriated partner briefly, then resumed cleaning his weapon. Elena sighed heavily, slumping forward in her chair so that her chin rested on the table. So far, their day off in Wutai had been a snoozefest. They'd been there to check up on Lord Godo's dealings with ShinRa Inc, but that had finished early. Savoring the chance to get drunk, Reno had immediately made for the island town's famous bar, Turtles Paradise, and there they had remained since mid-morning. Reno had since drunk himself into a complete stupor, giggling and hiccuping at intervals without warning. Elena was surprised he managed to remain upright in his chair at all for all the Jack Daniel's he'd consumed.

"Takin' too long," Reno muttered, drawing Elena's attention from the far wall. He angled a wobbly glance towards the bar. "Whas a guy gotta do to get a drink 'round here...? Gon' give piece m'mind." He rose unsteadily from his chair, intending to head for the bar and voice his complaints. Elena observed his swaying gait with mixed amusement and annoyance. Suddenly, the swinging doors to the bar opened violently and a small figure darted inside. It pushed past the stumbling Reno, who spluttered out a 'Hey', and disappeared over the bar. Before either sober Turk could react, a chorus of angry voices sounded from outside, followed by the doors being forced aside once more. The trio that trooped past their table were quite discernible and Elena sprang to her feet with a cry.

"It's Avalanche!" she exclaimed, gripping Rude's sleeve and pointing insistantly at the men who vanished after the first figure. Without waiting for a reaction, Elena ran forward, grabbing Reno's arm as she passed. "C'mon! This is our chance!" Despite his dimmed awareness, Reno retracted his arm from her grasp and clicked his tongue.

"C'mon, 'Lena! It's our day off! Who cares about them?" he retorted with as much firmness as his present state would allow. Rude had risen from the table to join them and stood behind the aghast Elena. "If Rufus gives the order to get 'em, _then_ I'll care! Till then..." He spun around loosely, one arm swinging skyward to address a shocked waitress. "Oi! More JD over here!" He staggered back over to their table and flopped into his chair with a grunt. "Stupid terrorists..." he muttered darkly. "Ruinin' my day off..."

"You can't be serious!" Elena cried, pivoting and spreading her hands expansively at her partners. "You're just going to let them get away!?"

"Yesh!" Reno slurred back at her. "Now, siddown 'fore I knock you down." He waved a limp hand at her empty chair. Rude had already reclaimed his seat and was back to adjusting his handgun. Elena frowned at them, then tossed her blonde hair haughtily.

"Fine! If you guys don't care about your jobs, you can stay here! I'm going after them!" she announced boldly and strode from the bar. Reno watched her march out the doors, perplexed, then turned hazy eyes to his friend.

"Whas her problem?" he asked, ignoring the drink the waitress placed in front of him. Rude could only shrug, one hand busily cocking and uncocking his pistol. Reno scoffed, then hoisted his drink up to his lips. Downing in a single swig, he sighed heavily and stood on shaky legs. "C'mon, Rude. She's gon' get herself killed or sumthin' if we don' follow her." He eased himself out from behind the table, slapping a careless hand over Rude's broad shoulder as he tripped past. Rude holstered his weapon calmly, then rose to assist his drunk friend out of the bar.

********

Once beneath the bar, Cloud, Cid, and Vincent spread out through the connecting corridors in search of the elusive ninja girl. Room after room revealed nothing, forcing the men to believe their hardwon Materia to be gone forever. Repeatedly, they split up, only to return empty-handed. Cid was becoming increasingly more vocal about his displeasure, all but turning the air around him blue with his choice of wording. The rooms he'd searched were left more and more unrecognizable as they continued.

Meanwhile, the rooms Cloud and Vincent prowled over, while revealing nothing of value, were left in pristine condition. It was only when Cid stomped through them that everything not bolted to the floor would be promptly upturned and cursed at loudly for being worthless. The other two made no attempt to silence the rampaging pilot, their minds focused on locating Yuffie.

Vincent disappeared into the last room while Cid and Cloud doublechecked the previous chambers. At Vincent's call, they joined him, Cid eagerly pushing past the gunman and looking around furiously. "Where is she!?" he growled, hands fisted and raised. "I'm gonna give that ass of her's such a whoopin' she won't be able to sit down for a week!"

"That's kinda gross, old man. Geez, do all old guys never think before they speak or is it just you?"

At the familiar sound of Yuffie's voice, all three men looked up. Yuffie stood in the rafters above, leaning nonchalantly against a support beam. In one hand, she tossed a cluster of Materia into the air like coins. She grinned down at them like a fox, clearly pleased with her abilities as a thief. Cid made to rage at the girl when Cloud stepped forward. "Give us back our Materia, Yuffie, and we can forget this ever happened!"

Yuffie snorted and pocketed the Materia. "How stupid do you think I am? The second I give them back to you, you'll turn on me. I haven't lived this long without learning _that_ at least!" She spun on her heel deftly, aiming to leave. "I would suggest you guys bolt before I take your weapons, too!" She thumbed her nose at them impishly, then darted for a trapdoor in the ceiling. Cid lunged into the center of the room, one hand already withdrawing his spear from his back. As he made to launch it at her, Yuffie pivoted once more, her foot shooting out to strike a lever on the wall beside her. Cloud and Vincent cried out to Cid, charging forward to pull him away. Too late. A large cage came clanging down over them, successfully halting their pursuit. On the rafters, Yuffie shrugged and shook her head sadly. "What'd I tell you guys? No one ever listens when I give 'em a break! Oh well!" She winked and swung herself up into the trapdoor, her giggles echoing after her.

"GodDAMMIT!" Cid cursed loudly, kicking at the cage bars. Cloud winced at the pilot's unabashed exclamations, then turned to examine the room. He pointed to the far wall.

"Look! There's other levers over there! Maybe one of them will raise the cage!"

Vincent unholstered his rifle. He crouched down to feel around the floor, then drew up, revealing a handful of crumbled ceiling that he dropped into his gun's barrel. Cloud pulled Cid away from the bars as Vincent took aim and fired. The debris struck the levers, sending them all into their downward positions. The cage swung upwards, clashing loudly with the ceiling and sending more plaster to the floor. Vincent calmly shook out the remainder of the debris from his gun and stepped forward from under the cage. He considered the rafters briefly, then looked back to the way they'd come. He nodded towards the door, indicating his companions to follow him. Cloud returned the nod and hurried after when Vincent sprinted through the rooms.

Cid cursed once more, shook ceiling plaster out of his short hair, then quickly caught up to his teammates.

********

Elena struggled against her captors' firm grasps. So eager to discover the whereabouts of the members of Avalanche, she'd carelessly encountered the presumed dead Don of Wall market, Corneo. Upon seeing her, he'd ordered his henchmen to seize her. Now she found herself being dragged up the mountain trails leading to the array of deity sculptures that overlooked the village. Beside her, the young girl who'd first darted into the bar kicked violently at the two men holding her. From what Elena could tell, Corneo had found the girl shortly after capturing her. It seemed she would share Elena's fate, whatever that would be. She was unfortunately very familiar with the Don's twisted tastes; many of the Shinra employees had taken advantage of the Wall Market king's expensive taste. It was hard not to hear all of the lurid details of the Honey Bee Inn and the Don's mansion itself. The idea of becoming of his 'women' twisted her stomach into knots and she felt the minimal liqour she'd consumed threatening to come back up. She controlled her revulsion long enough to try and devise a way out of her predictament.

"Let. Me. GO!" the girl was screaming, lashing out with swift sneakered feet to strike her captors' wherever she could reach. Elena felt a begrudging respect for the ninja; if only she, too, could muster such energy! Maybe then they'd both be able to escape! Unfortunately, such thoughts were interrupted at the sickening sound of the Don's rumbling laughter.

"What lovely ladies you have brought me!" he crowed, advancing on the struggling girls and their keepers from further up the mountain path. Gaudy diamond rings sparkled in the sunlight, sending prisms of blinding light into Elena's eyes. She turned away with a grimace, not wanting to see his grotesque face. The ninja girl, on the other hand, threw her body out boldly, spitting her rage like a cornered cat at the Don.

"You sick creep! You let me go or I'll make you regret it!" she swore, twisting and shifting angrily. Corneo feigned intimidation and gripped her chin in one chubby hand. The girl stilled, her rage melting into horror at being handled by him.

"This is a very spirited one, indeed! A fine addition to my collection, I'd say!" he chortled, shamelessly caressing the girl's round face. Elena's strength returned anew and she lunged forward, taking her surprised captors with her.

"You sick bastard!" she spat. "Take me, but let that girl go! She's just a kid!" The Don inclined his head to look appreciatively at the Turk.

"How very bold! You have my sincere admiration, my dear, but I am afraid it won't be enough to save either of you. You see, I have a great many clients who would pay me handsomely for such a hotheaded girl, even one as young as this! In fact, I would say they preferred it!" He chortled again, delighted at his own jest. His mirth subsided and he gestured for his men to continue up the trail. "Take them to the statue, gentlemen. The fun is only just about to begin!"

The two continuing to pull at their possessors, Elena and the girl were forcefully dragged up the path once more.

*******

Reno drew to a halt, catching his breath. He glared around him. "Where the hell did they get to!?" he snapped. "I feel like we've been runnin' for hours!" Rude appeared beside him, his breathing also slightly ragged. "You swear you saw them bring her up here?" he glanced up at his friend. Rude nodded firmly, his concealed eyes scanning the area.

"There. I can see figures on the trails leading to the statues," Rude said, pointing upwards. Reno drew in a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for an even further trek up the mountains, when the rumble of multiple footsteps caused him to turn. The Avalanche members who'd invaded the bar were running swiftly towards them. Upon seeing the Turks, the one in front stopped.

"Cloud!" Reno called. "You're the whole reason we're in this mess! Where the hell do you think you're goin'?"

"None of your business, you Shinra bastard!" the man behind him snapped, shaking one gloved fist in Reno's direction. The strange cloaked man put a hand in front of the other as if to silence him. Cloud spoke.

"We're trying to get our Materia back! Have you seen a sixteen year old girl come this way?"

"Like I have time to notice that shit when we're trying to get our teammate back!" Reno returned angrily, gesturing behind him. "That damn pig, Corneo, grabbed Elena and dragged her outta town!"

"Corneo? Don Corneo?" Cloud repeated incredulously. Reno gave an exasperated groan.

"No! The OTHER Don Corneo! Yes, that one!" he exclaimed, waving his arms around emphatically. "Now, if you don't mind, we gotta get back to that!" He made to turn away when Cloud called out to him again.

"Hold it! If Corneo has Yuffie, we're going with you! I'll call a truce with you guys for now, at least until we get our Materia back. After that, you'll be lucky if I let you leave Wutai in one piece!"

Reno snarled, then nodded impatiently. "Sure, sure, whatever. Just hurry up!" With that, he and Rude continued up the path with renewed speed, leaving Cloud and the others to rush after them.

*******

Elena and the ninja girl were promptly tied to the face of one of the imposing statue reliefs while the Don and his men waited at the top of the trail for their 'guests' to arrive. As Elena watched, Reno, Rude, and the trio of resistance members advanced over the rise of the path. They halted before Corneo, Reno and the head of the resistance's group at the forefront.

"Let Elena go!" Reno bellowed, whipping out his nightstick and sending a warning charge through it. "Or I'll make sure you go where you belong, Corneo!" The electricity arched across the tip of his weapon dangerously, but the Don seemed unimpressed. Behind the Turk, the ex-Soldier withdrew his massive blade, following Reno's threatening stance. Corneo chuckled.

"My apologies, Turk, but I'm afraid I can't do that. Not without a fight, at least." He snapped his fingers and suddenly the air was filled with a deafening roar. A sharp wind blew up from the abyss below the statue face, forcing Reno to look away. When he opened his eyes again, an imposing flying beast hovered at the Don's side. "My pet here will make short work of you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to see to my treasures." Laughing again, Corneo drew back from his 'pet' as it descended over the party, howling its rage. Corneo's henchmen flanked the beast, cackling along with their boss.

"Damn!" Reno snarled through clenched teeth, backing away from the advancing cluster of enemies. He cast a quick glance at Rude. "Rude, get the girls down! Me and Cloud can handle these losers!" Beside him, Cloud nodded his approval and was quickly joined by his other two teammates. With a collective cry, Reno, Cloud, and the others launched themselves at their opponents.

Rude rolled out of the way of the beast's tail and stealthily crept closer to the statue face. Elena bounced against her bonds, silently coaxing her partner on. The ninja girl seemed to shrink away as the larger Turk approached them, a pocket knife appearing in his gloved hand. Swiftly, he cut Elena's bonds and carried her to the safety of the mountain trail. She scurried away from the edge as Rude carefully crossed the statue face to do the same to the girl's restraints. He brought her to the path as well, ignoring her shaky thank you as he turned back towards the fight below. Elena drew closer to him anxiously, her bottom lip disappearing between her teeth as she gazed down at Reno and Cloud desperately battling Corneo's men and pet beast.

"If you're done, partner!" came Reno's cry, his nightstick swinging up to strike a henchman under the chin and sending him over the edge of the cliff. Rude motioned for Elena to remain and swiftly slid down the path to join the others.

Before long, the beast lay defeated, its cries pained and the fight gone from it. The men lay in bloodied heaps, knocked unconscious or killed by the party.

Panting heavily, Reno glared hard in the direction of the now-cowering Don, and stalked up to him, his nightstick pointing before him. Rude followed his partner as the two approached Corneo, who had by now backed up dangerously close to the cliff's edge. He quaked visibly as Reno began to speak. "Do you know what we do with people who treat Shinra employees like cattle, Corneo?" he hissed, his eyes narrowing coldly. Corneo shook his head quickly, sweat peppering over his brow and down his bulbous nose. Reno bent closer to the Don. "We eliminate them." With that, he kicked out, striking the Don in the chest, and pushing him over the edge. Corneo gave a strangled cry, his fingers digging into the crumbling rockface desperately. He stared up at Rude and Reno with terrified eyes, the sweat now pouring copiously down his face. Pebbles detached themselves from the cliff as Corneo sought greater purchase on the unforgiving gravel. His eyes darted away from Reno's face briefly. When they met the Turk's again, something in them had changed. Reno's expression went from triumph to confusion. Suddenly, the Don's other hand shot up and gripped Rude about the ankle.

Rude stumbled violently forward, startled by the sudden immense weight attaching itself to his leg. Reno quickly grabbed his partner's arm, his fingers clutching at the other's suit jacket tightly. Corneo pushed away from the cliff, swinging freely over the abyss and further pulling Rude closer to the crumbling edge. Rude gave an audible gasp of alarm, his sunglasses falling from his face to reveal wide eyes. Reno hurled his nightstick from him and grabbed Rude's other arm. Higher up, Elena cried out and darted for them. Her hurried footfalls caused the unstable rockface to break away further, which also made Rude's own footing harder to maintain. The Don swung from Rude's pantleg, howling with mad laughter, no longer afraid of his own fate so long as he took someone with him.

"I'm not letting go!" Reno screamed even as Rude was pulled further down and away. Despite his struggle, Corneo's weight on Rude's leg was far too great and soon the three of them were dangling over the cliff's face. Reno continued to pull at his partner's arms, but he could feel his grip slipping. Beside him, Elena was reaching down to grab at Rude, her fingertips stretching to touch any part of his extended arms in vain.

"Rude!" Elena cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Hold on! Please, hold on!"

The Don continued to laugh, his swaying body now swinging back and forth with more force. Rude gasped again as he lost hold of Reno's arms, who in turn was forced to release him. He was thrust back as Rude and the Don hurtled into the abyss and were soon swallowed by the unending darkness below. Elena scrambled back to the edge and all but threw herself over the side, calling Rude's name desperately. Reno, on his back from the force of the separation, could only stare numbly at the sky, his mind struggling to piece together what had just occured. Distantly, he could hear Cloud and his companions running up to them.

"Jesus! Did he really just pull him with him!?"

"This is crazy...!"

All around him, Reno dimly made out the stunned remarks of the resistance. Soon, he felt Elena's hands on him, shaking him violently and calling his name. His eyes rolled to the side to meet her tear-stained face, still not quite able to take things in. For a moment, he could only lay there while the others fussed around him. Without realizing it, Elena had coaxed him into sitting up and was looking into his face, her damp eyes wide with concern. Her mouth was moving, but the words were muted.

Reno pushed her away from him, shaking his head and standing uneasily. He didn't look back at her even as she called his name again. He pushed past the other four numbly, ignoring their pitied looks and uncertain hand gestures. In the back of his mind, he felt the stroke of a small hand over his arm as he passed, but just as quickly, the memory was drowned out. He stumbled down the mountain path back towards Wutai in silence.

Once clear of the others' view, Reno felt himself trip and fall to his knees against a boulder beside the trail. His body shook, shock overcoming him as he looked around anxiously. Rude? His hand reached out to where his partner should've been standing, then fell back to his side. Something wet was on his face. He touched his cheek, drawing away moisture on his fingertips. Tears? He swallowed nervously as realization washed over him.

Then, with a muted cry, Reno fell onto his side and allowed the tears to come.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

In response to Rude's death, a new program was launched. Headed by the enigmatic Professor Hojo, the Neo-Turk Project would produce stronger and more effecient agents of ShinRa, able to withstand even the harshest of climates and missions. Learning from his mistakes with the SOLDIER project, Hojo set to creating the first official Neo-Turk, christened Kevin Starks.

A genetic clone of both Reno's and Tseng's cells, coupled with a far more brutal course of Mako injections, Kevin was the perfect being. As a coup de grace, Hojo had devised a way to implant Master Materia into the clone bodies. Kevin's left hand bore this distinctive mark of a Neo-Turk, graced with the ability to control all forms of magic. The Mako infusions enabled Kevin to withstand the cancerous effects of the Materia inside him, allowing him to cast powerful master spells easily. In addition to the Materia, he gained Reno's speed and Tseng's cunning. Altogether, Kevin Starks proved to be exactly what Rufus had been looking for.

"You've done beautifully, Professor," Rufus commented, circling the stoic Kevin appreciatively. Hojo wrung his hands together joyously, pleased by his own genius. "But he's the only one?"

"Unfortunately, we have been unable to locate strong enough speciments for the project," Hojo explained. Rufus shrugged, completing his examination and making to leave the lab.

"No matter. Put him to work immediately. I have to contend with a reluctant employee for the moment. Kevin," Rufus nodded towards him, "I trust you will not disappoint me."

"President," Kevin bowed his head respectfully as the doors closed behind the young CEO.

*******

"Reno?" Elena knocked cautiously on his quarters' door. "It's me, Elena. Can I come in?"

"Go away," came the sullen reply. "Got nothin' to say."

Elena bit her lip. "Reno, please. If you don't present yourself to the president, you'll surely lose your job. I don't want to see that."

Silence.

"The new recruit has arrived," Elena offered, attempting to alter tack a little. "You know you want to show him up, right?" She forced the cheer into her voice, hoping it would encourage Reno's natural pride and force him from his room.

"Fuck 'im."

Elena sighed and rested her head against the door. She was quickly running out of options. While Rude's death had affected her deeply, her sense of duty had quickly eclipsed that. Someone had to be strong. Someone had to remember the job came first. With the threat of Sephiroth looming, ShinRa would need all capable hands. Elena wasn't fooled for a second that Rufus was concerned for the welfare of the people or the planet. If Sephiroth managed to take his revenge, it would mean a loss of power for the young president. In more ways than one. His Turks had to be ready for anything. And anything included dying for the company, Elena reminded herself with an unsteady swallow.

She pressed her hand to the door, willing it to unlock and swing open. Surely Reno had to know she cared. Hadn't she tried to save Rude, too? Why shut her out as well?

Suddenly, the door opened, causing her to gasp and step back. Reno stared at her from the doorway. Elena waited. He took a breath, as if considering his words carefully, then shook his head, the air leaving his lungs. He stepped past her and into the corridor, ignoring her outstretched hand. Elena watched as he trudged along to the elevators, her head drooping at the sound of the lift closing and blocking her out again.

Forcing her mood to brighten, she brushed her hair back, straightened her suit jacket, and strode in the opposite direction with a confidence she didn't completely feel.

*********

Reno emerged from the lift on the 66th floor and headed for Rufus' office. Surely he could rely on his loyalty to the company, allowing the president to grant his request. As much as he loved being a Turk, being one without Rude seemed terribly unnatural. Attempting to go about day to day as if nothing had happened had proven to be impossible. He needed a break.

A suited figure stood at the doors to Rufus' office, gloved hands folded behind his back and his face averted. Reno paused briefly, his eyes narrowing. The sleek black suit the man wore was tailored in a similar style as a Turk's, causing Reno to question the other's true identity. He recalled Elena mentioning a new recruit; could this be him?

As Reno approached, the man turned and regarded him without emotion. Reno felt the breath leave him. Though the other man was possessed of long black hair, the array of touseled spikes crowning his head was unmistakably like Reno's own. He tried to conceal his surprise, and mild insult, and made to move past him to open the door.

"You must be Reno," the man said suddenly, angling his head back to consider the other further. Reno paused, his fingers coiled around the handle tensely. The man extended a hand. "I am Kevin Starks, the newest member of the Turks. I look forward to working with you."

"Whatever, man," Reno rolled his eyes and, ignoring the offered hand, entered Rufus' office. Kevin made no protest as the door shut in his face; Reno gleaned some satisfaction from that. It was comforting to know his intimidation tactics still worked, even if nothing else did.

Rufus turned from his place at the wide windows, a cocktail glass in one hand and a slim cigarette in the other. He drew on the cigarette deeply before speaking, the smoke unfurling from between his lips. "Reno. I was just about to send for you. I trust you met Kevin."

Reno grunted noncommittally. "Listen, President," he began, stepping closer to the impressive desk that occupied the center of the room. "I wanted to request a few days off. Y'know, to get my head on straight. I know I have some vacation days saved up; been meanin' to take those. Figured now was a good time."

Rufus eyed him from behind the veil of blue smoke solemnly. "I see," he said after a moment. "And how many days would you like?"

"A week, maybe?" Reno shrugged. Though he could feel Rufus' insult at being asked such a thing at a time like this, he knew he had to try. There was no way he could return to the field with a level head. "It would be in the company's best interest," he added, hoping it would sway the president's decision. "I want to continue to be one of the best operatives this company has to offer, but to do that..." He spread his hands. At Rufus' subtle smile, Reno felt his heart lurch. One could never tell what the young president's smiles entailed. Finally, Rufus nodded.

"Very well, Reno. Consider your request granted. Have a pleasant vacation." The smile widened imperceptibly, another mysterious indicator of the president's true mood. Reno, not choosing to look a gift horse in the mouth, bowed briefly, then left. Kevin was gone from the hallway, seemingly having chosen to beg audience with the president at a later date. Reno grinned at this.

Yeah, he still had it.

**********

"Yuffie, you have to eat something."

The ninja girl kept her eyes locked on the table before her, ignoring the pleas of Cloud's childhood friend, Tifa Lockhart. The plate in front of her had gone cold, the once perky lettuce leaves now wilted and curling at the ends from the heat of the day.

Tifa sighed heavily and pulled the plate from the table. She stepped into the kitchen and glanced over her shoulder at the girl. Yuffie's head remained down, her face disappearing behind her short hair and concealing her expression. She'd been that way since returning from Wutai. The party had chosen to break camp at Cosmo Canyon, believing it to be the safest locale for them to recuperate from the recent ordeal. While no love had been lost between the Turks and Avalanche, the tragedy of Rude's death had struck them regardless. Seeing their former adversary, Reno, numb from shock had stunned all present. While Tifa had been with the others at the time of the incident, the looks on Cloud and Cid's faces had been enough. Her only real memory of the redheaded Turk had been their battle on the plate. He'd seemed so collected then, so sure of himself. Rude had to have meant a great deal to him for him to react in such a way. Tifa swallowed past the sympathetic lump in her throat and forced herself to focus on washing dishes.

As her hands worked through the soapy water, Tifa thought about the vigil Aerith had set up on the base of the Cosmo Candle in Rude's honor. The flower girl hadn't said as much to her, but Tifa believed Aerith had had dealings with the Turks before meeting them. Her normally cheerful face had fallen considerably when Cloud brought the news to her. That alone had been enough. Now she remained in front of the Candle, her head bowed in prayer. Sometimes, whenever Tifa would walk by on her way to the inn, Aerith would look up at her with such sad eyes it was all the martial artist could do not to break down then and there. Aerith knew something, but had refrained from mentioning it. Tifa hadn't bothered to press, feeling it was perfectly within the other's rights to keep secrets. If Aerith chose to reveal her knowledge one day, it would be in her own time.

The tinkle of the resturant's bell drew Tifa's attention and she turned to see Aerith standing in the doorway. She gave Tifa a weary smile. "Aerith," Tifa greeted softly. "Is everything okay? I thought you were praying for Rude."

"I was. I'm not now," Aerith replied, the tired smile brightening slightly. Tifa returned it, then frowned when the flower girl averted her eyes. "Tifa, I have to go."

"What? Why?"

"The Planet needs me. I have to go. I would appreciate it if you kept this a secret from Cloud; we both know how he worries," Aerith replied, her confidence returning as she met Tifa's gaze. As Tifa sought for the right words, Aerith looked into the room beyond where Yuffie continued to sit silently. Her face contorted slightly with concern, looking away when Tifa spoke.

"Are you sure you have to do this alone? Couldn't we go with you?"

"I wish that you could, but this is something I must do alone. You have to stay here and take care of the others," Aerith drew Tifa's hands into her own and squeezed them gently. "I know you have the strength. Please believe you do."

"But..." Tifa stammered, the knot of uneasiness twisting further in her gut. "Aerith, we need you. How else can I get the courage to --" She stopped, knowing she was about to say too much. Aerith smiled kindly and gave Tifa's hands another squeeze.

"I have faith in you," Aerith confided. She looked again into the dining area. "She's thinking about leaving, you know." Tifa blinked.

"Leaving? How do you mean? Like going back to Wutai?"

Aerith shook her head. "She feels responsible for Rude's death. I don't understand it myself, but she seems to want to find Reno."

"And do what?" Tifa's brow furrowed as she observed the motionless Yuffie in the next room. Aerith shrugged slightly, her head shaking. Tifa sighed. "First you, now she wants to go. Everything seems so...hopeless." She looked back at the flower girl. "You really believe we'll manage without you?"

"So long as you stay, sure," Aerith replied cheerfully, gleaning a smile from the other. With a parting squeeze, Aerith released Tifa's hands and turned to go. "Oh right!" she spun back around, her hand delving into a pocket and withdrawing a green Materia. She pressed it into Tifa's hand. "If Yuffie does leave, see that she gets this. It's my Restore Materia. Maybe you'll feel better knowing she has this."

"Thank you," Tifa accepted the gem and slipped it into her own pocket. She looked up at Aerith with pained eyes. "I wish you didn't have to go. I know, I know," Tifa interrupted when Aerith made to protest. "You have to." She smiled tiredly. "But you will be missed. Go and be safe." Tifa hugged Aerith tightly, then allowed the flower girl to leave.

Alone, Tifa glanced back towards Yuffie. She'd let Yuffie go, but not without an escort.


End file.
